Swift guard



Sept. 13, 1938. G. s. TOMPKINS 2,130,253 r SWIFT GUARD- Filed May 29,1957 L INVENTOR IGERALD SAMUEL TOMPKINS BY HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Sept.13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFiQE.

SWIFT GUARD Application May 29, 1937, Serial No. 145,625

6 Claims.

This invention relates to swift guards, and has for its main object toprevent strands of yarn of a skein from catching on the points of theswift spokes.

Another object, in mounting skeins on swifts preliminary to winding, isto prevent damage of the skein due to careless handling such as when anoperator impales a skein over the spoke ends or points.

A further object, in the winding operation, is to prevent the slackstrands of yarn at the surface of a loopy skein, from falling over thepoints of the swift spokes and causing tangles and yarn breakage. Withthe present invention any such strands cannot wrap around the spokes,but are cammed past and over the ends of the spokes, without hanging upor stopping the rotary motion of the swift.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a plan of a swift having a guard accordingto the present invention; and

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same showing in full lines the skeinmounted thereon, and in dotted lines the skein partially mounted.

The form of swift shown comprises a hub 3 and divergent spokes 4radiating therefrom. There are two sets of spokes one at each end of thehub which is accordingly of hour glass shape, preferably of wood andhaving enlarged ends 5 and 6 to receive the respective sets of spokes.Metal spindles i and. B extend axially therefrom, to journal the samefor rotation.

Opposite pairs of spokes carry yarn supports ID. These yarn supports arepreferably loops of cord 35 slipped over the ends of the pairs of spokesand adjustably held in position by their own tension or slight inwardcantilever bending of the spokes, or both.

The guard according to the preferred embodi- 40 ment of the presentinvention shown by way of illustrative example, engages the outer endsof adjacent divergent spokes and extends inward therebetween, thusforming a star shaped guard. In the form shown a pair of separate wireguards each have a number of outer points l2 equal to the number ofspokes of the skein swift upon which these guards are mounted. Eachpoint of the guards is suitably fastened in a shallow groove H3 in theouter end of each spoke, from which 50 point the wire curves as at M,inward toward the swift hub, meeting at a point l5, thus formingreentrant portions [6. The wire is preferably a single piece, having itsends soldered or brazed as shown at I? but a larger number of joints inother 55 positions may be provided if desired.

In order to prevent the loose portion of the skein from becomingentangled under the inner points l5 of the guard, these points l5 arejoined by members l8 such as rubber bands passed over the spokes 4 andthe outer wire guard points l2 associated therewith. Of course a singlelonger rubber band could be passed around inside alternate spokes, orboth forms could be made of wire.

It should be noted that the re-entrant portions 5 or angles 16 of theguard greatly facilitate the mounting of the skein on the yarn supports.The skein 20 partly mounted as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, beingon the outside of one of the spokes as shown at 4b for example, may pass10 through the two adjacent re-entrant portions it.

v This provides slack to facilitate passing the skein over the outer endof the next spoke 4c. The yarn support if carried by that spoke need bemoved toward the hub only a slight distance to provide 15 the slacknecessary to pass the skein over the end of the last spoke db. After theskein has been passed over all of the spokes of one side, onto the yarnsupports Hi, the yarn supports are adjusted by pushing them outward, tocenter the skein and 20 also maintain it taut.

I claim:-

1. A swift comprising a hub and divergent spokes, yarn supports carriedby said spokes, and a guard engaging the outer ends of adjacentdivergent spokes and extending inward therebetween.

2. A swift comprising a hub and spaced sets of divergent spokes, yarnsupports extending between opposite pairs of said spokes, and a guardfor each set engaging the outer ends of adjacent divergent spokes andextending inward therebetween.

3. A swift comprising a hub and divergent spokes, yarn supports carriedby said spokes, and a star shaped guard, the outer parts of said starshape engaging the outer ends of adjacent divergent spokes.

4. A swift comprising a hub and divergent spokes, yarn supports carriedby said spokes, and a wire loop guard secured in notches outwardlyfacing in the ends of adjacent divergent spokes said guard extendinginwardly between the adjacent spokes.

5. A swift comprising a hub and spaced sets of divergent spokes, yarnsupports extending between opposite pairs of spokes, and a guard foreach set comprising a star shaped wire loop guard, the outer parts ofsaid star shape being secured in notches in the ends of the spokes ofthe swift.

6. A swift comprising a hub and spaced sets of divergent spokes, yarnsupports extending between opposite pairs of said spokes, a guard foreach set engaging the outer ends of adjacent divergent spokes andextending inward therebetween, and means connecting the adjacentinwardly extending portions.

GERALD SAMUEL TOMPKINS.

